Housing News Digest
Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
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Archive
Under pressure: What landlords can do to retain tenants
Emily Chantiri The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Property prices may be rising but there remains downward pressure on rents, with more people moving out of the cities for the regions and overseas immigration halted, crimping demand. Some investment property landlords are also being squeezed as tenants decide to move out to take advantage of cheaper properties. ... Jo Natoli, from the Rental Specialists, offers the following tips for landlords to help keep existing tenants happy [including] consider allowing pets. “Tenants with pets tend to stay longer because it’s harder to find homes that allow pets.”
https://www.smh.com.au/money/investing/under-pressure-what-landl…
# Australia, Rent, Landlords and agents.Victorian Liberals lose planning fight over social housing drive
Sumeyya Ilanbey The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The Victorian Liberals have lost their bid to fight an Andrews government decision that has stripped local councils of their power to make planning decisions on the construction of thousands of new social housing units.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/victorian-liberals-lose…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Planning and development, State Government.New team behind ‘fundamental rethink’ of Brisbane’s mega-city planning
Lydia Lynch The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)A specialist team will be created to ensure land stretching between Tweed Heads and Noosa is able to keep pace with population growth and housing demand. South-east Queensland’s “200-kilometre city” is predicted to grow by 1.5 million to 5 million in 20 years, making it about the same population as Sydney today.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/queensland/new-team-behind-funda…
# Australia, Planning and development, State Government.House prices surge at fastest rate since 2003
Jennifer Duke The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The nation’s property prices surged at their fastest rate since 2003 in February, led by the booming Sydney and Melbourne real estate markets where tens of thousands of dollars has been added to the median house value.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/house-prices-surge-at-fa…
# Australia, Housing market.Dignity in life and death: Commission recommends more nurses and palliative care
Julie Power The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The Aged Care Royal Commission’s final report calls on the government to recognise that palliative care and end-of-life care, like dementia care, is a “core business” for aged-care providers.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/dignity-in-life-and-death-commis…
# Hot topic Australia, Federal Government, Older people.A rating system, free dental care and no restraints: Key findings
Sarah McPhee The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)After almost two and a half years the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has delivered an exhaustive, 2800-page report containing 148 recommendations. Read on ...
https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-rating-system-free-dental-care…
# Hot topic Australia, Federal Government, Older people.From funding to a right to care: the aged care royal commission's key recommendations
Elias Visontay The Guardian (No paywall)Australia’s aged care sector is set for a “generational paradigm shift”, according to Scott Morrison, after the royal commission into the system laid bare deep-rooted “neglect and abuse” of older Australians and delivered recommendations for a path forward. The royal commission has made 148 recommendations to address structural issues in funding and governance, formulated after evidence from 641 experts, residents and families over almost 100 hearing days since the prime minister ordered the inquiry in October 2018.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/mar/02/from-fund…
# Hot topic Australia, Federal Government, Older people.Rogue landlord told to pay back £739,000 over illegal London housing
Robert Booth The Guardian (No paywall)A rogue landlord who operated illegal rooming houses in London has been told to pay back £739,000 in illicit earnings or face jail, in one of the biggest confiscation orders of its kind, the council that investigated the case has said.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/feb/28/brent-rogue-land…
# International, Rent, Landlords and agents.